Railway-crossing gate and signal



Nov. 27, 1923.

H. C.. C'ARMICHAEL RAILWAY CROSSING GATE AND SIGNAL- Filed Sent. lO. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A QN N W QN www @N @AINS ATTORNEY.

2 o0 6,., 54 7 4, l L E A H w M R A C lC. H. 3.v 2 9 1 7 2 w N.

RAILWAY/CROSSING GATE AND SIGNAL Filed SeDb. l0

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 106 F ai F4, vll/2 95 'In Im In, liu

INVENTOR.'

Novs 27, 1923, Lmsz HA C. CARMICHAVEL l RAILWAY CROSSING GATE A'ND SlL'NAl,

J5 www# 62 Patented Nov. 127,v 1923.

entran STATES HOWARD C. CARMICHAEL, OF INDIANAPOLS, INDIANA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING GATE AND SIGNAL.

Application led September 10, 1921. Serial No. 499,793.

ToaZZ'w/Lom it may coa/cem.'

Be it known that I, HOWARD CJ. CAR- MICHAEL, a-citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of (i Marion and State of Indiana, have. invented a new and useful Railway-Crossing Gate land Signal, of which' the following' is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andto theletters and l figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates totheprotection of operators and drivers of vehicles and also pedestriansfwhere .railway tracks and highways or streets cross,the invention having l reference more particularly to train-controlled means for warning-and'obstructing those on the "roads or streets' approaching the crossing, when' trains are expected to pass over the crossing@ y 'An object of the invention is to provide an efiicient and reliable railway crossing gate and signal which shallbe so ,constructed as to. be electrically operated and controlled andv permit moving trains, locomotives or cars tocontrol the periods of operation thereof, the aim primarily being to afford protection against lo'ss of life or injury to those who must use railway crossings',vand to prevent destruction or damage 3Q of motor vehicles and also'horse-drawn vehicles.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character, which shall be of substantial construction and not be liable to derangement in use or in periods between operations, and which shall not be tostly for installation and operation.

A further object is to provide an improved safety gate and signal for railway 40 crossings which shall be adapted for obstructing passage across the railway track,

and forl giving timely signal and warning preceding the crossingo'f the highway or street by railway'frolling stock.

l A still further 'object is to provide a safety railway crossing gate that shall be so constructed as to be adapted to be usedwhere switching is done on railways,'to permit `ara-rior train to4 open the safety gate in case the car ortrain' approaches and causes the. .gate to be' closed and does not pass over the crossing,but stops and returns ormoves back from thecrossing, .so

that the crossing may be :safely used without delay. 4 L

With theabove-mentioned and other ob-4 liects in view, thel invention consists in an improved safety crossingr gate and novel means for lelectrically operating andcon'- trolling the gate, a novel means for eiiig ciently producing danger signals preceding and Iduring operation of the gate, and in' improved means forcontrolling the periods of operation of the gate and the signals; and, the invention consists also further in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a railway track with' which. a highway or street crossing is i illustrated, and the improved safety gate and signal apparatus associated therewith; Fig, 2 is a top plan of the railway track 75 and crossing in connection with whichl a series of safety gates and signals are illustrated, together with a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical and mechanical control system embraced in the invention; Fig., 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation show` ing more particularly the mechanical control apparatus whereby the periods of operation of the safety gates and signalsl are controlled by trainsor cars moving on the railway tracks; Fig. 4 is a top plan of Fig. 3, 'parts being in horizontal central section; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line Y-V in Fig. 3 Fig. 6 is a vertical central section of the housing supporting the safety gate and operating apparatus thereof; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section approximately on the line VII- VII in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary verticalsectionv of the housing and apparatus therein and a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical system whereby the safety gate'is operated andcontrolled, the safety gate being indi-. cated as in operative position to close the crossing to vehicles and pedestrians;l Fig. S) is a section and diagram similar to Fig. 8 but with the safety gates arranged in inoperative or open position and other parts in different positions relatively to those in the lfirecedin'g' figure; Fig. l() is an illustration of a reversing and cut-out switch preferably used inthe electrical system, and on an enlarged scale and in more detail-than appearing in Figs. O8 and 9; and, Fig. 11 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale I ofan electricalv interrupter whereby to au- I tomatcally ncause intermittent flashing or y display of signal lights on tliefsafetyvgates.

y the foundation and position of a highway or or street.

Similar reference characters in the different igures of the drawings indicate corresponding or like elements or features of construction herein referred to in detail.

In the drawings,- a sectionof the'railway track suflicent toan understanding of theinvention is shown in'which cross-ties 1 are laid on a suitable road-bed and support'two track rails 2and 3, the numeral 4 indlcating 'street crossing` the railway track, the nu meral 4 indicating the crown of the highway beyond the railway track. i 4

practical embodiment of the invention includes a suitable upright housing 5 which lmay be suitably supported firmly adjacent -to one side of the railway track and the.

having glass sides 11 which may be of any desired color or tint. The lampbox is provided with an electric lamp socket 12 to support an incandescent electric lamp 13. The 4wall vof the housing has aslot '14 through which the arm 9 extends, and the arm has a weight or relatively heavy counter-balancing portion 15 within the housing, which preferably is bifurcated. When a side-walk is present the housing is provided also` with a' pivot 16 opposite `to and parallel with the pivot 8 andA it supports a small gate or arm 17 which has a counterweight 18 which preferably vis bifurcated, the arm extending through a slot.19 in the housing. For synchronously operating and 4controlling the gate arms two links 2 0 and 21 are p'ivotally connected to the counter- Weight portions of the arms respectively and extend downwardly, the links being pivotally connected to a crosshead 22 which may be variously operated land controlled. Preferably the crosshead is loosely arranged on a guide rod 23 so as to slide thereon, and the rod is guided in a suitable hollow guide 2 4 sup orted by the top of the 'housng and exten ing downward; The rod has a collar 25 thereon designed to be brought into engagement with the crosshead, and the lower end of the rod has a jaw 26 thereon which is arranged below the crosshead and operates as i. a collar to engage and'push up the crosshead.

The safety gate preferably is operated and controlled by means lof positive gearing,

in which case the interior' of the housing 5 is provided` with a support 27 having a stub axle 28 thereon which rotatably supports a gear wheel or segment 29 provided with a' crank pin y30 to which a connecting rod 31 is. connected, the connecting rod being pivoted to the jaw 26. An electric motor .32, adapted to be reversed in' operation, issupported in the housing and has a drive shaft 33 that is steadied ina-journal box 34`in the housing, and a worm 3,5 is fixed on the shaft and in engagement with the wheel or segment 29. This insures steady movement of the safety gate and positive control thereof which is preferred, but it is obvious that in some-cases the crosshead 22, or a simple modification 'thereof7 might be operated and controlled vb'y means ofl a 'governed solenoid if desired.

The electrical cont-rol system through the meansof which Ithe motoris actuated and controlled -includestwo velectrical relays 36 tact devices 40 and 41 suitably supported,

to similar contact devices v42 and. 43. Each i relay is suitably timed, be'ng` preferably provided with'a dash pot comprising acylinder 44 into which the' armature rod extends, the rod-having a pistonv45 thereon adapted to retard the spring-actuated open` ing movement of the armature and the switchbar'. i

Within Ithe housing a suitablereversing and 'cut-out switch is arranged and prefer ably is such as illustrated, more clearly in Fig. 10, the switch structure comprising two anchor bars 46 and 47 securedl to the wall 5 or liningv plate 5 thereof and `extends therefrom preferably divergently each from the other, the bars suitably support-ing a number of contact points 48 and' 49 respecn tively adapted to have circuit wiresconnected thereto, there being pivot cars 50 and 5l supported between the bars and adjacent thereto respectively, to which insulating` switch bars 52 and are respectively pivoted. One switch bar has two contact plates 54 and 55 thereon arranged to make contact with the contact points 48 in groups, the switch barv having contact plates56 and 57 thereon to bevmoved toor from the contact points 49 in groups. The crosshead 22 has a lug 58 iixed thereon and so arranged as to move between the switch bars 52 and 53 when the gate 9 is operated and to alternateizo ' connected together bymeans of a tie rod ly engage and move the switch bars'whichare 59 to which a spring 60 vis connected, the spring' being suitably anchored and adapted to draw the switch bars to the contact points Awhen moved nearly thereto by the lug.

Any convenient source of electricity 4may be utilized whereby to operate and vcontrol thegates, a battery 61 being vsymbolically in "dicated for vdescriptivepurposes. A feed wire 62 and a return wire 63 are connected with the battery or electrical source, and one end of each of the relay coils 36 and 37 is connected Withthe return wirei. xThe feed wire 62 extends to al contact device (92) fin eachof the cylinders (89) 'of several. circuit closers.- A circuit wire 64 is connected with .Y the opposite end of the coilvof the relay 36. and also with the 4contact device (93) in twoof the cylinders (89) embraced in the cir-` cuit closing apparatus A and A which' are located atl considerable distance from the crossing. A circuit wire 65 is connected with the oppositev end of thekcoil of the relay 37 and also with the remaining one of the contact devices of the circuit closing. apparatus Band B which are located a short distance i fromthe crossing. A circuit wire 66 is conf nected with the contact device 41 and also with one of the contact points 49. A circ-uit wire 67 is connected with another oneof the contact points 49 and also with accircuit wire 68 vconnected with the motor 32.' Another circuit wire 679 is connected with the motor and also with a circuit wire 7'0' that is connected'with another one of the contact points 49, preferably adjacent to thelpoint'to which the wire 63 is connected, so that the wires 63 and 70 may be connected in circuit by the switch bar 57. A circuit wire' 71l is connected with thev contact device 43 and also with one, of the contact points 48. A circuit wire 72 is connected with the wires 69 and 7 Oland also with one of the contact points 48. A'circuit wire 7 3 is connected' with wires 67 and 68 and. also with one 'of the contact points 48, being adjacent tothe point 48 tov i which the wire 63 is connected, so that the wires 63 and 70 may. be connected in circuit by the switch bar co`r`inector device 54. A circuit wire 74 is connected with the remaining one of' the contact points 49 and also with the remaining one of the contact points 48. The contact points 48 to which-the wires 7l, 72 and'74 are connected'are arranged in a group permitting them to be connected iii vcircuit by the switch bar device The contact points 49 to which the wires 66, 67 and 74 are connected are arranged in a group permitting them to be connected in circuit by ,means of the switch bar device 56.

For supplying the lamp 13 with electric i current a feed wire 75 is 'suitably connected with the wire 74 and extends alongthe arm 9, and circuit wire 76 is connected also i tudinall With the wire 74 and with a suitably arranged bell or gong 77 which has connect-ion Y with the return( wire 63. A section of thev return wire 63 extends along the gate arm 9 from the socket 12-and is suitably connected with the stationary portion of the wire so as'to not be disarranged by the. swinging suitable base'81 preferably being provided so as to support twoV guides 82 and 83, and a wire 84 1s secured to the guide 83 and suit'- ably connected with the wire 76, a coil 85 of suitable structure or composition being connected with the wire 84 and'having a rod 86connected thereto vthat is movably Sdi guided by vthe .guide 82 and has a contact crook 87 thereon normally in engagement "with a stud 88 supported by the base 81 and having a: feed wire section 75' connected thereto, the'section being connected with the socket 12, the structure constituting an automatic circuit breaker operated to break-the circuit between the crook 87 and the studi88 when the coil becomes heated and longitablishe when the coil becomes cool.

The circuit connectors indicated generally-by the letters A, A and B, are a 1 railway track to obtain the required results in controlling Vthe safety gates by ineens of vthe moving trains. Each circuit connector comprises a cylinder 89 having elec-V ei'itended, the circuit being re-esbut Adifferently arranged along the trical insulating lining 90 and suitable heads f inclosing an insulating. block 91 supporting vcontact points 92 and 93 to which the-wires 62 and 64 are respectively connected in the two outlying cylinders, the wires 62 and 65'" being similarly arranged in the remaining two cylinders. anchored stationarily and are-provided on their ends with packing boxes 94 and 94',

'and the wires in practice are inclosed-iii a conduit 95 extending through -tlie packing` .box 94. A rod or plunger 9 6 is arranged' so as to extend through the 'packing boi;` 94 into the cylinder and has an electrical circuit connector 97 oii itsend and also a' shoulder 98 on which a coil spring 99 is seated luider compression and against the connector97 which is to be moved to the' Contact points 92 and 93 to connect the circuit whenV required. 'The rod 96 has an upwardly extending lug 100 thereon for operation and controlof the rod, and a spring 101 connect- The cylinders are suitably otally connected lto the web ,of the .rail 2 to support an operating bar fr the circuit connector A and asimilar bar D" 'for'the circuit connector B", and similarly to the rail 3 to support .a vreversely, ar-

ranged but similar operatingl bar D for thefcircuit connector B 'and a bar C orathe circuit connector AH The pivot block has; a downwardextending pivot 105 Which'may' Each operatingl be inclined in operation. bar comprises a base portion 106 that is connected .to the .pivot 105, an inclined portion 107 extending'from the base'and a horizontal portion 108 extending -from the inclined portion, the horizontal portion hav-` ing a relatively 'obtuse angled'portion'108 that 'extends away from the ballv of the rail.

I 'while the vportion v108 is held against'the ball by' means o'iz the lug 100, which is in con- "tact .therewith and drawn thereto by the springl101. The operating bar'has a loop 109fonA its side thatembraces the lug 100 to maintain the proper relation of the parts.

A coil' spring 110 is suitably anchored at one end,y as to` one of the cross-ties and is con nected tojthe pivot- 105 which operates as a levervarmto drawthe block 103 against a stop pin lll'secured to the track rail, when "the horizontalportion 108 ofthe operating bar is on afflevel with-,the top of the track rail.

The equivalent of a. locomotive, motor car or other-car is represented by a truck having wheels 112 and 113 on the track rails -respectively, it bein-g designed that the leading wheels of each `car or train shall operate the operating bars when. approaching a crossing.

It will 'be' understood that when a crossing'is equipped with'. a plurality of safety gates the operating and controlling appliancesf for the diieren't gates will be prop-` erly supplied with electrical circuits connected with those above described which may be readily supplied 'by the electrician. Also,Y various modifications in structural dctails maybe mad-e as may be obvious for the protection vofthe various parts or elements or the structure. 'As an instance, the controllirig bars may be variously guided to guard against derangeinent thereof' in operation, minor mechanical details within the knowledge of mechanics having been' omitted from the structural details of the invention.

In some cases goodA results may be obtained witha closed'circuit electrical system instead of the open circuit system illustrated,

and the. relays 36 and 37 may be closed by current and opened by springs or may be intresse x clos'edby` springs and openedb-y eurrrent.

Also, it may be 4an advantage to equip the relays with secondary contacts for interlocking andl actuatingztrouble alarms, clos- .ing'thevgate incase of failure of apparatus to operate. o v

-In practical use, as the arm 9 descends 'the lug 58 is drawn up and engages the switch bar 52 so as to make the proper elec- .trical circuits required to reverse the movement 'of the arm 9, the switch bar 53 being at the same time carried away from contact points 49. The reverse action occurs when the arm is moved upward to vertical posi.

tion, the lug causing reverse movement of the switch arms so that they shall be set as zov in Fig. 9 ready to conduct current for reversing the motor to lower the gate arm. ,When a train or car 'approaches as from the `left side in Figs. 1 and 2 the wheel 112 .engages the angular portion 1085 of the operating bar C and forces the bar away from the track rail, resulting in the switch bar 97 being brought into Contact with the contact points 92 and 9 and electrically connecting the wires 62 and 6 4, so that the current shall flow through the wires 62, 64,

relay 36 and .wire 63, the current energizing relay 36 which causes connection of the contacts 40 and 41 and permits current through` the motor from the battery through wires 62, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 and 63 tothe battery,

this current energizing the motor to enable -it to operatethe'wheel 29 whereby tolower or close the gate. The time interval in which the contacts 40 and 41 are closedbeing sufficient for full operation of thev ate, the motor continues to operate until t e reversing switch is tripped by the lug 58 and the motor current becomes interrupted. The relay 36 is then slowly released by its dash pot. As the train passes on beyond the crossing the wheel 112 operates the bar Dand causes the switch closer B. to act to connect the circuit wires 62 and 65' and complete. the electrical circuit through the relay 37 and through the wires 62, 65, relay coil, and wire 63 to the battery,the resulting current energizing vthe relay 37 which 'causes the contacts 42 and 43 to be connected and setting up current through the motor by way ot' the wires 62, 71, 72, 69, the motor, wires 68, 73, 63 and the battery; the current energizing the motor. a sufficient lengthof time so as to operate the wheel 29 in the opposite direction to cause the gate to be opened or elevated. The relay 37 being suitably timed to properly hold the contacts 42 and 43 closed, the motor continues to operate until 'thefreif'ersingswiteh is tripped by the lug 58 and the motor current becomes interrupted. The relay 37 becomes released by its dash pot.

1When the relay .36 is energized the bell and 74,176, 63. Similar operations resultA when thetrain runs from right to left and first i operates the operating bar C to close the ate/and afterwards operates the controling bar D to cause the gate to he opened. Incase a locomotive or motor car passes and operates the operating bar C, Aresulting in the gate beingclosed, andstops after passing the bar D, the gate will be again opened when the car moves away from the crossing and operates the operating har DQ Then a train approaches' the crossing they wheel flanges will pass over the inclined portion 107 of tlieoperating bar D and depress the bar, and likewise the har C will be depressed when thel train 4 inovesaway from the crossing. When the opera-ting bars are depressed no operation of the electrical switch or circuit closer occurs.v i

Having'thiis described. the invention, what is' claimed as new is:

1. AJrailwa-y crossing -gate including a moi/ably supported gate, an electrical power as y .device provided. with mechanical connec-: tions to operatev the gate, an electrical circuit for thepower device provided .with a current-reversing switch, a trip device carried synchronouslywith the mechanical con` nections tooperate the switch vsynch'ronously with .the gate, two relays to closelor -vopen the' circuit on opposite 'sides respectively oi,

the switchfand a plurality ofl circuit' closers for the relays. H

2. A railway crossing' gate including'.' Y *mommy suplmlte gatea 'sup-Ported electrical power-device provi ed with'mechanical connections' to operate and control the gate, an electrical circuit-for. the power device provided with a 'controllable current-'reversing switch, a trip device carried, synchro-` nously with the mechanical connections toY operate the switch synchronously with'tlie `gate, a plurality' of circuit closers,.and two vrelays to close or open the circuit on' oppo site sides respectively of the switch to control current'for the power device',the' relays having Ydifferent energizing circuitsv controlled by the different circuit'vclosers.

3. A railway crossing gate including a j movably` supported gate, a supported electrical reversible power device, mechanical l means co-operating with the power device' be controlled alternately bythe outlying cirand the gate to operate and control 'the gate,

two electrical relays, an electrical circuit for, the poweryde'vice provided with a current reversing switch, the circuit'liaving leads to the electrical relays to close or open the cira plurality vof vcircuit closers located at; the

controlling stations respectively with circuitl leads respectively to energize and control the relays respectively.

ergizing circuits controlled b vcl'o'sfe'rsrespectively. Y

the housing, an electricalpower device sup- 1 ported in the housing and having ineclianical connections to operate and control the gate arm, an electrical circuit for the power device provided with a current-reversing switch, a trip device carried by thevmcclianical connections to operate the switch, two relays to close or open the circuit oifoppositev sides .respectively of the switch to control current forl the power device, and two circuit close-rst'or the relays respectively 'and providcdwith reversely arranged operating liars respectively. l

5. A railway crossing gatoinclnding a pivotally-supported gate arm, van electrical power device having mechanical connections to inovethe arm alternately in opposite direct-ions, two circuit closers provided re spectively'with relatively reversed operating hars, a controllable electrical reversing and cut-out switch, circuit wires t'or the power device'to be connected or disconnected by the switch to conduct current alternately iii opposite directions through the power device, a trip device carried by the mechanical connections to operate the switch synchrononsly with the gate arm, and two electrical relays to control the opening and closing of the circuit on opposite sides respectively of the switch, the relays having different env tlie circuit I .6. A railway crossing gate includingv a vpivotallysupported gatearm, an electrical vpower device, having mechanical connections to move the arm alternately in opposite directions, a controllable electrical reversing and` cut-out switch, circuit wires for the power device to be connected or'disconnected by the switchv to conduct current alternately in opposite directions through the power device, a. trip device carried by; the mechanical connectionsy to `operate the switch synchronously with the gate arm, two outlyingl Vcircuit closers provided respectively wit relatively reversed operating bars, two inner circuit-closers' provided 'respectively with relatively reversed-operating bars, an eleciiis';

tif-icalv relay to cont-rol the opening and closingof the circuitwires onone side'of the switch and having an energizing circuit to vwith track rails,- a housing., and a gate pivoted to the housing .and having a counter weight, of an` electrical reversible motor supported in the housing, mechanical means coloperating with; the motor and said iesI counterweight to operate the gate, a reversing and cut-out switch supported in the housing, a trip device carried -by the mechanical means and adapted to operate the switch valternately in opposite directionsl on alternate reversal of the motor, circuit wires for vthe motorcontrolled for direction of current flow by the switch, the wires eX- te'nding to different controlling stations, a plurality of mechanically 'controlled circuit closers-located in proximity to the track rails and havingl devices to open or' close the circuits with the wires, and a plurality of operating` .bars pivotally supported between the tracks rails adjacent thereto and inovable to or from the rails,l said bars having. operating connection with the circuit closers` respectively and being movable idly Vdownward. 1

8. In a railway crossing gate, the coinbinationwitli a railway track, and a crossing, ot a gate movably supported in proximity to the track to close or open the crossing, an electrical power device having mechanical.

vice, and two circuit closers on each side ot` the crossing at the two stations respectively to connect the two circuit leads respectively to control the relays respectively, the two circuit closers having revcrsely operated con trolling devices arranged iii proximity to the trackfto eil'ect a closing and also` a subsequent opening of 'the gate by a train on one side of thecrossing.

Iii testimony whereof,

HOWARD C. CARMICHAEL. Titnesses E. T. SiLviUs,

ROBERT LIEBRICH.

I affix my! signatui'e in presence of two witnesses.

circuit on opposite sides respectively of thc' switchto control current for "the power de' 

